The Australian branch of animal activist group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is calling on the popular Brisbane Broncos rugby league team to abandon its mascot.
PETA claims the official mascot and logo, Buck the horse, and the “bucking bronco” is tied heavily to rodeos, a sport the group wants banned.
Rodeos are big business in Australia and a major source of income for country towns, a competitive equestrian sport that arose from the working practices of cattle herding.
Queensland’s Mount Isa Rodeo is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting 25,000 attendees and visitors to the region every year, stimulating the local economy and supporting local jobs.
But PETA believes Queenslanders and Australians need to abandon the practice, and believes rebranding the team would be a step in that direction.
“There’s no reason to subject Buck, the horse, to the stress of being a mascot,” a statement from PETA read.
“No matter how much effort and training is put into ‘breaking’ a horse, they’re prey animals with a strong fight-or-flight instinct, and it’s nearly impossible to de-sensitise their instincts.
“Too often, even horses trained to the standard of military precision become spooked and run, injuring themselves and others when startled by loud noises, like pyrotechnics and fireworks, as well as sudden movements.”
PETA suggested the Broncos could be rebranded as the “Brisbane Boomerangs,” which would also be a nod to Indigenous Australians.
“Unlike real horses, the human inside the inanimate Buck costume can consent to running around a field in front of screaming fans, and no one is sitting on their back,” PETA continued. “Aside from the odd dry cleaning, Buck the costumed character doesn’t need anywhere near the level of care a real horse does.”
Animal Welfare Laws
Australia’s National Rodeo Association (NRA) says animals in rodeos are considered athletes and must be in peak physical condition to complete alongside cowboys and cowgirls in the ring.While states vary, all rodeo events must abide by animal welfare guidelines.
In 2022, Queensland introduced a mandatory Rodeo Code of Practice.
The code contains minimum acceptable standards of welfare for animals applicable to all cattle and horses.
“The National Rodeo Association takes animal welfare seriously and is committed to complying with the animal welfare legislation relevant to the state or territory in which the rodeo is conducted,” the NRA said.
